Signal-box.



1; F. MEHREN.

SIGNAL BOX. APPLICATION FILED DEC-14. 1914.

now 4 r s m m w ,wz D .m a P J. F. MEHREN.

SIGNAL BOX.

APPLICATION FILED DEC- 14' I9I4.

Patented Apr. 30,1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Y r I iii JACOB r. MEI-KEEN, or onI'cAeo, ILLIuoIs.

SIGNAL-Box.

Leeann.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. so, Isis.

Application filed December 14, 1914. SeriaI No. 877,101.

To all "whom it may concern:

' Be it known that l, kllioon F. Min-innit, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Chicago, in the co mty of Cook and State ofIllinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Signal-Boxes, ofwhich the followin g is a specification.

My invention rel ates to an improvement in the class of signal boxes, orsignal stations as they are also termed, which are comi'nonly installedin places readily accessible to the public to enable fire and policealarms to be sent in, and it relates more particularly to theimprovement of such signal boxes which are equipped with localalarm-sounding or warning devices; The primary purpose of the last-namedequipment, which is auto matic in its operation, is to attract theattention of passers-by, or of others in the neighborhood of the lDOX orstation, to the end of leading to the observation of persons turning inalarms and enabling their apprehension if the alarms are found to befalse and prompted by mischief or malice. In the present instance, thiswarning alarm may be of any suitable type of noise-producing apparatusand provided in or on the signal box or at any nearby or more or lessdistantplace, where it may be heard when set offby actually swingingopen the outer door of the boX to gain access to the: signalsendingmechanism for starting it.

Tl'ieprijni-ary object of my improvement is, while tending to determisuse of the signal boX in the mani ierstated, to facilitate sendingalarms by the general public by omitting all features tending toobstruct or mislead those who are inexperienced in operating such boxes,besides dispensing with locks and keys, or other securing devices, andglass requiring to be smashed for gaining access to the mechanism foroperating it, thereby avoiding confusion and-possibly disastrous delayin sen ding alarm signals.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view in front elevation,with a part of the outer hinged door broken away, to dis close certaindetails, of a signalbox equipped with my invention; Fig. 2 is a similarView of the same with the outer door open and shown broken; Fig. 3 is aview partly in section'on line 3, Fig.1 aindienlarged, and partlydiagrammatic in its showing of the local warning mechanism in alocal-battery circuit operatively combined with the alarm sending ortransmitting mechanism included in the mam-line-circuit; Fig L is asimilar View but showing both the alarm-sending mechanism and the localwarning meoha nism in the main-line-circuit, and Fig. 5 a diagramshowing a modification of the circuits of Fig, 3. l

The box 7, or outer case, of the shape illus trated or of other suitableshape, is provided with an outer hinged door 8' carrying a knob 9, orhandle, on the outer end of a shaft 10 journaled in the door andcanying' on its inner end a latch 11 to engage with alipl2, or keeper,formed at a slot 13 in the sunken door-stop l3 about the open face ofthe case. A spring 14; on the: inner face ofthe; door tends to hold thelatch in its keeper to secure the door, in closed position. As is usualin boxes of the present kind, an inner case 15 is secured and housed intheoutercase and is also provided with a lunged door 16, closed againstaccess by the public to the mechanism in the inner case, involv ing thealarm-transmitting mechanism and may be, also, as intended in thepresent in stance, the local warning mechanism, though the latter may beoutside of or at a distance from the box without departure from my invention. lnthe doorlo, near its left hand lower corner, is shown a hole16, to admit, for the purpose hereinafter explained, a pin 17 projectingfrom the inner face of the outer door. The alarmtransmitting mechanismis preferably that in common use in fire-alarm signalaboxes and is toowell known to require detailedillustration and description herein. Itcomprises the usual toothed signal-wheel 18 on a suitably journaledshaft 19 carrying loosely a pinion, indicated at 20, rotatable in onedirection by a pawland ratchet device (not shown). The door 16 containsan arc-shaped slot 21, through which projects a handle 22 on the end ofa crank-arm 23 extending at the inner side of the door from a rock-shaft2%. An arm 25 extends fromthis shaft and terminatesin a segmental rack26 meshing with the pinion 20, thearm turning in one direction againstthe resistance of a spring 27 coiledabout the shaft and having one endfastened at 27 and its other end to the arm, which is retracted by therecoil of the spring.

In the inner casing is supportedan electric switch 28, of the preterredconstruction illustrated, laving as its parts a base 29 I I ofinsulating material (hard rubber) carrying contact members and 31, andametal loop-forming bar 32 from which spring contact-fingers 30 and 31"extend and converge toward their forward ends to opposite sides of aspring-retracted plunger-rod 33 reciprocably confined in the loop andprovided on its outer end with a knob 34 to be engaged by the pin 17 At35 is represented an electric-bell apparatus as the preferreddjevicewfor the local warning signal, this apparatus being of theordinary make-andbreak type, as illustrated in Fig. 3. The electromagnetor" this apparatus is included in the circuit of a local battery,indicated at 35 this circuit having one side of the battery connectedwith the contact-member 30 and the other, through the hell, with thecontact-member3l. The main-line circuit-36 has one wire connected at 37wlth a spring-retracted pivotal contact-finger 38 supported to make andbreak the circuit 36 at a contact-member 39 therein by the vibratingaction, against its curved insulated end, of the toothed wheel 18. thelocal-battery circuit has two branches connected with it at 40, onebranch leading directly to the contact-member 30 and the other branchbeing connected at 41 with the strip 32; and this branch contains aspring contact-finger 4'2 and a contact-member 43 crossed by thecontact-finger, which is held-out of contact with the member 43,

against a stop 44, by the rack 26, normally bearing at its insulated endagainst the finger. r r 4 7 To operate the-local alarm the knob 9 isturned to unlatch the door 8, pulling open of which Withdraws the pin 17and permits the plunger 33 to' be retracted by its spring until stoppedby thehead 34 striking the door 16. This withdrawal of the plunger freesthe finger 30 to permit it to snap tery-circuit is thus closed and thebell sounds the local alarm, thereby attracting the attention ofpassers-by, or of those in the neighborhood, and affording opportunityfor apprehension of the operator if his act proves to be mischievous.If, how- 'ever, the operation is bone fide and the alarm-signal is to besent, the person, seeing the handle 22, pulls it downwardly. Thiswithdrawsthe rack 26 from the finger 42,

thereby closing the local-battery circuit also at 43. Upon releasing thehandle thus pulled down, the spring 27 returns the rack to its normalposition, in reaching which it rauses rotation of the toothed wheel 20to One side of vibrate the arm 38 and make and break the main-linecircuit at 39 for sending the alarm-signal over the line. In the returnof the rack it encounters the finger 42 and separates it from theterminal 43. In the meantime, the outer door being open, thelocal-battery circuit remains closed, both at 30 and 43, and the warningsignal continues. If, while the alarm-signal is working, the outer door8 is shut to cause the pin 17 to push the plunger 33 inwardly, it willbreak the local-battery circuit at 30, but the bell will continue toring until it is also broken at 43 by the rack, 1n gaining its normalposition, forcing the finger 42 away.

As will be seen on inspection of Fig. 4, which shows the circuit andmechanism in normal condition, as in Fig. 3, the bell 35 is not in alocal-battery circuit but is in the maindine-circuit. In this condition,the current, which is always on the main line, passes through theswitch-device 2S and fingers 42 and 38, to the return-side of the lineat 39, thus through a shunt around the bell. T'Vhen, however, on pullingopen the outer door, the shunt-circult is broken at 30 by resultantretraction of the plunger 33, and afterward at 44 by pulling down theoperating handle the main-line current flows through the bell and soundsit; and

it continues to ring while the rack is working the alarm-mechanism. Thebell shown in this instance differs from that represented in Fig. 3 inbeing not of the makeand-break type, but of the type in which theelectromagnet is cut, by the vibrations of the clapper-armature,alternately in and out of circuit.

In cases where it is desired to open the inner door 16, as for example,when the fire marshal wishes to communicate with the central, ollice(for which purpose the inner case is always equipped with telegraphicapparatus, though none is shown in the drawings), he would be disturbedby the noise of the local alarm if that were to continue. However, onopening the inner door,

the plunger, in the arrangements illustrated both in Fig. 3 and in Fig.4, is retracted by its spring far enough to permit, in the one instance,the finger 31" to separate from the contact-member 31, and in the otherinstance, the finger 31 to spring against the contact-member 31, therebycutting out the bell in each instance. That is to say, with regard tothe showing in Fig. 3, the local.- battery circuit is broken at 31, andwith regard to the showing in Fig. 4, a shunt is thrown around the bellby the closure at 31.

The inner door 16 is intended to remain closed to the public, but maynevertheless be opened without difliculty, not being ordinarily lockedbut merely latched, so that any one having authority may readily gainaccess to the mechanism in the inner case by opening both doors. As hasalready been explained with reference to Figs. 3 and 4, however, openingof the inner door while the alarm-signal is operating, stops the ringingof the bell 35. A mischievous person becoming aware of that might desireto use the knowledge to avoid attracting much if any attention afteroperating the alarm-signal to send in a false alarm; To prevent this,the circuits may be'arra'nged as illustrated in Fig. 5 to include alocal-battery circuit, as in Fig. 3. In this arrangement, on opening theouter door to permit"retraction"of the plunger, the local-batterycircuit closed by the finger 30 at 30, and on pulling down the rack, thefinger inane closes it at 43. On opening the inner door 16,11owever, theresultant further retraction of the plunger will permit the finger 31 toopen the localbattery circuit at 31, but it will remain closed at 43until opened by the return of the rack to normal position and thus, inthe meantime, cause the ringing ofthe bell to continue. An inspectonwhoopens the inner doorto gain access to the interior of the box fortesting the alarm-mechanism may avoid being disturbed by the continuedsounding of the local alarm by depressing a key 4.5,

shown to be rovided in Fi awa from a contact-member 4a "in the branch ofthe local-battery circuit containing the finger 42, thereby opening thatbranch and cutting out the'bell.

While my invention is shown and described as being embodied inelectrical mechanism, it is not intended to be limited thereto since theprinciples, thereof are susceptible of mechanical embodiment; nor do Iintend by illustrating specific or preferred details for disclosing myinvention, to be limited thereto, since these may, without departuretherefrom, be variously modified.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In asignal-box of the character described, a case providedwith a door,leveroperated signal transmitting mechanism supported in said case andaccessible by opening said door, automatic local-sounding mechanism, andmeans; controlled by said signal-transmitting mechanism for releasinginto operation said sounding mechanism upon operating said lever tostart the action of said signal-transmitting mechanism.

2. In a signal-boX of the character de scribed, a case provided with adoor, signaltransmitting mechanism supported in said case and accessibleby opening said door, automatic local-sounding mechanism, meansreleasing into operation said sounding mechanism by opening said door,and means continuing said operation of the sounding mechanism onstarting into actionsaid signaltransmitting mechanism and while thelatter is in action after closing said door.

3. In a signal-box of the character described, an outer case providedwith a door, an nner case provided wlth a door, signaltransmittingmechanism supported in the inner case, automatic local-soundingmechanism, and means releasing into operation said sounding mechanism onopening the outer door and arresting such operation on opening the innerdoor. 7 a

i. In a signal-box of the character de scribed, a case provided with adoor, an electric main-line circuit, lever-operated signal-transmittingmechanism in said circuit supported in said case" and accessible by openng said door, a local electriccircuit,

electric sounding apparatus and a gei'lerator in said local circuit, andan automatic switch cooperating with said signal-transmitting mechanismto open said local circuit while an automatic switch cooperating withsaid doorto; close said local circuit on opening said door, and anautomatic switch cooperating with said signal-transmitting mechanism tocontinue the closed condition of said local circuit upon starting intoaction said transmitting mechanisnr and while thelat ter is inactionafter closing said door.

6. In a signal-box of the character described, an outer case providedwith a door, an inner case provided with a door, an electric' main-linecircuit, signal-t 'ansmitting mechanism in said circuit supportedin theinner case, a local electric circuit, electric sounding apparatus and agenerator in said local circuit, and an automatic switch cooperatingwith the outer door to close said local circuit by opening said outerdoor and with the inner door to open said local circuit by opening saidinner door. 3

7. In a. signal-box of the character described, an outer case providedwith a door, an inner case, an electric main-line circuit,signal-transmitting mechanism in said circuit, supported in the innercase and having an operating handle accessible by opening said door,said mechanism including a spring-retracted segmental rack and apinion,a local electric circuit opened by movement of said rack in onedirection and closed by movement thereof in the opposite direction,electric sounding apparatus including a switch in said local circuit,and a projection on said door cooperating with the switch to openthereat said local circuit in tion in opening the door.

the closed condition of the door and there close the same by withdrawingthe projecn8. Int-a signal-box of the character described, an outer caseprovided with a door, an inner case, an electric main-line circuit,signal-transmitting mechanism in said circuit, supported in theinner'ca'se and having an operating handle accessible by opening saiddoor, said mechanism including a spring-retracted segmental rack andapinion, a two-branch local electric circuit includinga circuit openingand closing finger in one branch operated by said rack, electricsounding apparatus including a switch in the other branch of said localcircuit, and a projection on said door cooperating with the switch toopen at the latter said local circuit in the closed condition of thedoor and there close the same by withdrawing the projection by openingthe door. 7

9. In a signal-box of the character described, an outer case providedwith a door, an inner case, an electric main-line circuit,signal-transmitting mechanism in said circuit, supported in the innercase and hav 111g an operating handle accessible by open scribed, anouter case provided with a door,

an inner case provided with a door, an electrlc IIlEtlIkllllG' circult,signal transrnlttmg mechanism in said circuit, supported in the innercase and having an operating handle projecting through the inner door tobe accessible on opening the outer door. a twobranch local electriccircuit including a circuit opening and closing finger in one branchoperated by said signal-transniitting mechanism, electric soundingapparatus in the other branch of the local circuit, including a Switchprovided with a spring-retracted plunger, and a pin on the outer doorprojecting, in. the closed condition of the latter, through the innerdoor against the adjacent end of said plunger, tor the purpose setforth.

11. In a signal-box of the character described, an outer case and aninner case each provided with a door, an electric mainline circuit,signal-transmi(ting mechanism in said circuit, supported in the innercase and having an operating handle projecting through the inner door tobe accessible on opening the outer door, a two-branch local electriccircuit including a circuit opening and closing finger in one branchoperated by working said signal-transmi(ting mechanism, electricsounding apparatus in the other branch of the local-circuit, a switch insaid last-named branch comprising a base, a pair ofCOlllJilCtdllQlllbBlS, a plunger-guiding block having extending from itacross said members a pair of relatively longer and shorter contactfingers converging toward their inner ends, and a spring-pressed plungerreciprocably supported on said block to extend between said convergingfingers, and a pin on the outer door projecting, in the closed conditionof the latter, through the inner door against the adjacent end of saidplunger, for the purpose set forth.

' JACOB F. MEHREN.

In the presence of:

NELLIE B. DEARBORN, F. M. Ronnmn.

Miles of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0.

